Combining affordable yet chic items with meticulously crafted designer pieces is a decades-old practice in France but it’s only recently that the rest of the world has caught on. The high-low trend celebrates individuality and style versatility, allowing people to mix affordable basics with high-quality, investment-worthy pieces. As popular as the high-low trend is today, it can be exceedingly frustrating to pull off.
The main challenge with high-low styling is that it is all about intention. In particular, one might struggle to develop the eye for detail, the aesthetic astuteness, and the spending power needed to pull it off consistently. More importantly, this process typically ignores branding and downplays standard fast fashion trends, forcing one to assess every piece of garment and accessory on its merits within an ensemble. This pushes high-low fashion far away from style philosophies that prioritize specific price ranges and strict style rules.
Indeed, high-low style is a unique celebration of craftsmanship, quality, and personal expression that changes according to who wears the outfit. Its emphasis on using timeless, durable pieces in your own way also makes it a more sustainable approach to style, setting it apart from trend-focused approaches.
Mastering high-low concepts can be worthwhile even if you don’t plan to make it a core principle of your everyday style. Injecting elements of high-low styling into your everyday ensembles can help you dress with intention and help you put your clothing and accessories budget where it matters the most. If that sounds good to you, let’s look at a few essential tips for successfully pulling off a high-low look:
1. Start with a Statement Piece
Before you start adding multiple pieces to an ensemble, choose one high-end statement item as the anchor for your outfit. This could be a designer handbag or a multigenerational heirloom, matched with an accessibly priced yet still fashion-forward pair of skorts. Whatever it is, build off it with more affordable basics so that your statement piece can shine without overwhelming the rest of your look. This also helps your ensemble from looking like a costume, which is the opposite of what you want.
2. Mix Textures, Patterns, and Fabrics
After statement pieces, the other major element of high-low fashion is combining dissimilar materials. For example, you can pair a silky, luxurious blouse with a leather jacket for an interesting, dynamic look. If things start to look a bit similar, see if you have any contrasting pieces that can break up your look.
3. Avoid Overly Trendy Pieces
Though high-low can incorporate mass-market pieces, as a rule of thumb, they should be wearable season after season, like a classic pair of jeans or good-quality aviator shades. However, as you get more experience with textures and balance, you’ll even be able to flip the script and safely incorporate more cheap-and-cheerful statement pieces, even as your main anchor.
4. Accessorize Smartly
In many high-low looks, the accessories can serve as the statement piece that brings everything together. Strategically worn high-end watches, jewelry, or sunglasses can kick an otherwise unimpressive look up by several notches.
5. Know When to Splurge
If the item is something that you can easily mix and match with multiple garments to come up with different outfits, don’t be afraid to spend more to get them. If you struggle to integrate it into an ensemble, leave it for someone else to pull off. Avoid the temptation to collect luxury pieces and save your splurges instead on high-quality items that will stand the test of time.
This tip isn’t just for jewelry and other expensive accessories but also key items like handbags, coats, or fine shoes. While you can sometimes cheap out on them with great success, investing more in these anchor items tends to result in stronger, more confidence-building high-low ensembles.
6. Don’t Look Like You’re Trying Too Hard
Mixing high and low items is a matter of balance knowing the difference between being impactful and trying too hard. It’s generally good practice to keep most of your look sleek and understated if your anchor piece is already making a big statement.
7. Shop As Long as You Have to for Quality Basics
Fortunately, you can still get basics made from good-quality materials with great cuts. Keeping cut and quality in mind will help your less-expensive items compete with your haute couture pieces.
8. Blend Street Style with Elegance
High-low fashion probably came into the global mainstream through streetwear so it makes sense to use more accessible streetwear styles as a jump-off point for high-low ensembles. One common look is graphic tees or hoodies with a tailored blazer but you may want to skip these more played-out takes in favor of something that speaks more to you.
9. Embrace Your Personal Truth
Finally, don’t be afraid to take risks and make unconventional style choices. The high-low look is not a uniform but a way of expressing your individuality, values, and attention to detail. Lookbooks and tip lists like these may be a good starting point, but the journey is ultimately yours to make.
Can You Pull Off High-Low Styles?
Absolutely! Unlike haute couture or other styles that demand a certain build or income level, high-low fashion’s flexibility allows it to work on almost anyone, regardless of their budget. However, it does work better if you have some appreciation for the finer things in life since high-low ensembles often rely on impactful anchor pieces like jewelry, heirlooms, bespoke clothing, and affordable luxury pieces. Transitioning can also be easier if you’re already into adjacent movements like minimalism or contemporary urban streetwear.
If you’re only beginning to venture into the world of elevated personal styling, don’t take these tips as the only path to high-low style. Instead, focus on being more intentional and finding pieces that make you confident. Even if it turns out that high-low isn’t for you, discovering your relationship with style through the lens of high-low fashion is still something you will never regret.